Sun and Moon
by Ascarde
Summary: A fading light on the moon is embraced by the light of the sun.


The wooden manikin easily cuts through Hakuno Kishinami's body. She crumples to the ground immediately; the pain far beyond any mortal could hope to endure.

"Hm, it seems you are lacking as well."

The deep, sonorous voice echoes throughout the room. Hakuno feebly attempts to push herself up, but her body is no longer responding to her wishes.

"With your death, I will consider this round of preliminaries over. I hope you may find salvation in your slumber," the voice continues, before the presence of the voice vanishes. Hakuno is left to die, as she notices the various brown lumps littered around the arena.

_-no, those aren't lumps, those are…!_

Corpses. Corpses of a countless number of Tsukuihara students are came here and died. The terror on their faces is forever frozen in a stiff expression.

_-and I suppose I'll join them…_

Hakuno slumps even further down, her digital avatar very close to death. Despite the fact there was no blood, she pressed her arm against her chest as if to stem a flow.

_-no, that's not right. I came here all this way-_

Fighting against pain, she pushes herself upright. It's a Herculean effort; all five of her senses feel as if they're being ripped right out of her body. She gasps in agony, her vision clouding over with stars. Eventually, even those fade as she has passed that point and her eyes feel as if they're on fire.

But that's all right. Hakuno Kishinami fears pain. Hakuno Kishinami fears losing her senses. Hakuno Kishinami fears becoming a corpse.

Above all else however, Hakuno Kishinami fears disappearing without a trace.

_What was the point of my- no, our suffering if we all just fade away here and now? What was it all for?!_ Her consciousness screams against the unfairness of it all. As the world fades into black, she cries out one last time.

_I have yet to fight of my own volition and terms!_

"I see. One who wishes to fight, crying against the injustice of the world? Tell me, do you wish to shoulder the ones around you? Their burden, their pain?"

A calm voice resounds. Sharp gold glints within the darkness.

_I… cannot exactly say that I care for these nameless people…_

"…" the voice is silent, yet the presence, the faint presence is there waiting for her to continue.

_…yet I don't feel that it's right that they disappear without a trace! I'll tell their story for them!_

"…you would be so generous?" the voice asks with an honest curiosity. Hakuno shakily nods. "Very well. I, Lancer, will aid you in your endeavor."

Warm, golden light brighter than the sun shot up into a pillar right in front of her. What stepped out of that pillar, however…

…is a calm looking young male. A hand is on his hip while the other hangs carefree. Spiky white hair covers and shrouds his right eye, where his grey left eye peers curiously at Hakuno who has pushed herself into a slumped over sitting position. The column of light compresses itself around him, and solidifies.

Faded golden armor appears on his arms and legs. His torso is left sparsely armored, but a crimson gem has embedded itself there. The remainder of the sunlight, there's simply no other term to describe it, flows to his left ear and hangs into a shiny golden earring.

A crimson cloak manifests around him, before fading away to hang off his left side like half a wing. "Memory insufficient? I suppose the moon cannot grasp the sun," the man- Lancer, says idly, before turning to Hakuno.

"I admire and respect that wish of yours, nameless Master. As such, you will have the aid of this Lancer. I hope we can get along," he says bowing courteously.

It didn't look different from any human. However, comparing the two would find the human grievously wanting. The power that swirled around his rather thin form threatened to vaporize all that stood before him.

"Out of respect, I must ask, however. Are you my Master?" Lancer asks politely.

Hakuno manages a meek "Yes." Lancer nods in response, before striding over and pulling her up.

_-he's quite gentle…_ Hakuno notes in the back of her mind before being cut to the searing, white hot pain that sliced through her hand. A winged crimson crest manifests on her right hand. Confused, she takes turns looking at her hand, then at Lancer who is regarding her silently.

A rustling sound brings both of their attention to the manikin, who before was frozen is now in an aggressive fighting stance. Hakuno immediately shies away, remembering her brutal defeat by the hands of the wooden thing. Lancer pushes past to stand in front of her protectively.

"While you are undoubtedly the weakest Master I've ever met-"

_-uwah?! No mercy…_ Hakuno cries pitifully in the back of her mind.

"-I can't even manifest my spear-"

_-then why are you fighting? You can't go against that thing unarmed!_

"Hmph. You are grossly underestimating me, Master. Direct me. I will crush this thing into dust." The underlying challenge is clear:

**Show me your strength.**

Hakuno firms her will and directs Lancer. He proceeds to easily block a poorly aimed punch and retaliates with one that turns the manikin into little more than a pile of splinters.

Well, it should've. Instead it merely staggers back, a mighty and powerful blow absorbed. Lancer follows it, raining powerful blows and not leaving any room for the effigy to counterattack. It's darkly amusing to Hakuno, since she could very well imagine a boy, commanding the effigy and is now being torn apart by the brutally efficient Lancer.

It stops moving and slumps down. There's no way that thing will be getting up.

"…well, I suppose for a Master there are worse I can be summoned by. I could be summoned by a lazy one who doesn't want to fight. You, at least, have steel in you," Lancer comments.

…I'm not sure whether or not that's a compliment or not.

* * *

**The mire of the everyday sloughs off.**

**A war between magi.**

**The wheel of fate turns.**

**Weak one, temper your sword,**

**And defend the value of your life.**

Combatants: 999

Masters Remaining: 128

* * *

_The sky burns. Houses collapse. People fall. Roads end. It all started here._

_Both the conflict and my birth._

_All gone; friends, family, strangers, foes; none are spared from the blaze. _

_Why? Why did such a tragedy occur?_

_The rain cleanses the scorched earth._

* * *

"Master? Have you awoken from your slumber?"

The presence is unforgettable. There's no way I would ever forget that majestic soul. My eyes flick open to see Lancer, sitting quietly on a bed nearby.

A bed? I'm in… the nurse's office? How did I get here?

"I carried you. Now, do you remember the Holy Grail War?"

The what? It does sound familiar, but what is it?

"…I see. Your memories must be fuzzy from the slumber. I will briefly summarize."

Lancer explains something that wouldn't sound out of place in a novel or something. I mean, wizards fighting for an omnipotent prize? Legendary people that are summoned as Servants?

"Correct. …you do know what a Servant is and their classes, right… Master? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Sorry, I'm trying to gauge whether or not you'll belittle me if I say no.

"Of course not. You're silly for a Master." Lancer says this all with a slightly bemused expression. I don't know how he can express so much with so little change of a facial expression.

"Servants are famous people who have ascended to the Throne of Heroes- ignore it, it isn't important, and are classified into seven categories based upon their skills and profession in life. Saber, the knight of the sword. Lancer, the knight of the spear. Archer, the knight of the bow. Rider, the knight of the mount. Caster, wielder of the arcane. Assassin, the servant of shadows. And, naturally, Berserker, the mad warrior."

Strange how Lancer addressed those last two as something other than a "knight."

"Because they are not honorable." Here Lancer is scowling; I wouldn't want to have him staring at me like that. "The Assassin hides in the shadow and kills his opponents without confronting them directly, and the Berserker has no finesse; as such, neither are worthy of being graced with the title of 'knight'."

Quite passionate, Lancer.

…wait, if he is a legendary soul, then does that mean-?

"My identity? I have no issues with telling you, but I must ask you to reconsider. This is neither an appropriate location nor will it provide you with an immediate advantage."

…that's reasonable. Since they're legendary, they probably have weaknesses that another can exploit…

"Correct. That's the general reasoning behind calling us Servants, after all." Lancer gives a wry smile. I'm not sure if he just told a joke, however. The image of my severe-minded Servant telling a joke is just damaging on a personal level.

* * *

A/N: A layout of setup for the Moon Cell War. I'm getting back into the swing of Fate/Extra CCC, and while I do have a rough translation, I am currently enjoying Fate/Extra. I always enjoy stories of our feeble little avatar summoning a new Servant, as while I enjoy all four available, I can't help but look at my enemies and wonder how I'd work with Gawain, or Drake. This time, I'm going with an old favorite of mine.

If you can't guess the Servant, shame on you.

This is largely a concept shot for now. I'll return to this once I get some more stuff done and when I get Microsoft Office 2010 again.


End file.
